Jessica’s Rural Words

Indispensable Bucolic Information

Rural litter

What is driving rural waste crime – and how do we tackle it?

Rural England is facing a growing challenge from fly‑tipping and wider waste crime. Between April 2024 and March 2025, local authorities recorded 1.26 million fly‑tipping incidents in England, a 9% rise on the previous year; while the Environmental Services Association has estimated that waste crime costs the economy more than £1 billion annually. Yet these figures exclude the incidents and costs faced by private landowners, where much of the rural impact falls. Surveys have highlighted the scale of […]

How can Nature-based Solutions unlock new opportunities for rural areas?   

How can Nature-based Solutions unlock new opportunities for rural areas?   

The UK has been described as “one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth”. ‘Nature‑based Solutions’ (NbS) are actions to protect, conserve and restore the natural world while simultaneously benefitting society.  NbS range from preventing greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands to natural flood management and reforestation with native species. While the UK Government expresses support for NbS in responding to climate change, the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has cautioned that declining habitat condition and the spread of invasive species pose challenges to long-term climate resilience. Rural communities are increasingly exposed to more frequent flooding, […]

What does being ‘emergency ready’ look like in rural areas?

What does being ‘emergency ready’ look like in rural areas?

Global oil disruptions, storms, heatwaves, cyber incidents and public health emergencies have all sharpened the UK’s focus on how well we prepare for, withstand and respond to disruption. These events show how quickly impacts can cascade across systems and how much communities, businesses and public bodies depend on each other when things go wrong. Against this backdrop, understanding the UK’s approach to emergency […]

Resevoir

Are current water reforms enough to secure long-term supply for rural areas?  

Water underpins food production, public health and wellbeing, wildlife, and our economy. Yet for most of us, turning on the tap hides the complex systems, infrastructure and governance required to keep supplies safe and reliable. Securing clean and plentiful water depends on coordinated action across communities, water companies, businesses, government, councils, and regulators. In January 2026, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) published its Water White Paper, setting out proposals to “overhaul the water system in England […]

Hearing Aid

What is the Rural Hearing Gap – and why does it matter? 

Hearing loss is a pervasive yet often hidden health challenge affecting millions of people across the UK. While 5.8% of GP patients reported deafness or hearing loss in 2024, research indicates that the true figure is significantly higher – affecting up to 18 million adults, or one-in-three, when mild and unilateral loss are included. Prevalence increases sharply with age, meaning rural communities – where 27% of residents are aged […]

winter

Cold realities: what more can be done to address winter mortality in rural areas?

Winter is linked to increased mortality compared to other seasons, with the UK experiencing higher winter mortality rates than some colder European countries. How is winter mortality measured, what are the trends in rural communities, and what more can be done to address excess winter deaths? Jessica Sellick investigates.   ………………………………………………………………………………………………..  Winter mortality rates in the UK exceed those observed in several colder European nations, indicating that a proportion of these deaths may […]

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Jessica Sellick

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